The 2007 legislative session concluded with a whimper Friday with lawmakers throwing up their hands and slinking out of town, ending what surely will go down in history as the most politically ineffectual partisan logjam ever.

The session was a black eye to its members, embarrassing to Montanans, and a YouTube hoot to the rest of the country.

Way to go, guys.

What we had for 90 long days this year was a complete breakdown of politics as rules were twisted or broken in a vain attempt by the Republican House leadership to get what the voters had put out of reach: control of the session so they could pass their own agenda. When their opponents refused to roll over Friday morning, Speaker Scott Sales made like Teddy Roosevelt leading a charge up San Juan Hill: "I think Republicans understand this is a hill worth dying on," he said.

No more war metaphors for a while, OK? Montanans know that politics is serious business, but it sure isn't about San Juan Hill. It's about civil debate, the art of compromise, and doing one's level best for the people of the state. This session didn't even come close to that standard.

The question now is this: What's to stop this sort of thing from happening when legislators return for an absolutely necessary special session?

Here's a hint: New leadership.